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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · race · bore · chip · ruler · board

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. row — a line
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bore — to tire
  6. race — a contest
  7. bore — to drill
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. board — to get on
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. row — to paddle
  13. race — the arms race
  14. board — a committee
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. race — humankind

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com